


Keep an Eye on Gilmore for Us

by blue_pointer



Series: A Glorious Retelling [50]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canon Timeline, Cuddling & Snuggling, Draconic - Freeform, Episode: c01e065 The Streets of Ank'Harel, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Metallic Dragon!Gilmore, Minor Shaun Gilmore/Vax'ildan, POV Shaun Gilmore, Romance, conversations in Marquesian, do not copy to another site, unworthy dog
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:15:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28991295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blue_pointer/pseuds/blue_pointer
Summary: When Vax and Keyleth ask Jarett to take care of Gilmore while they’re in Marquet, he jumps at the opportunity.
Relationships: Shaun Gilmore/Jarett Howarth
Series: A Glorious Retelling [50]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975831
Comments: 8
Kudos: 10





	Keep an Eye on Gilmore for Us

As the arcane flare of the Teleportation Circle faded, Gilmore realized he couldn’t get up. He’d hoped that using the residuum dust would preserve his own reserve of power, but apparently, if it had, it hadn’t been enough. This was awkward. Pike was nowhere to be found, Sherri was in the castle working on the air raid alarum with Cassie, and unless another cleric was on shift or chose to show up, he might be here for some time. 

So Gilmore stayed where he was, kneeling on the floor, trying his best to get himself together for one big effort to make it to the couch. After about ten minutes of trying, Lockheed flew over and perched on his shoulder, chirruping encouragingly. _“If only it were that easy, little one,”_ Gilmore told it.

 _“I have good news!”_ he heard a familiar voice announce from the entry hall. 

“ _J’arett,_ ” Gilmore called weakly, embarrassed. 

_“My lord?”_ Seeing him, Jarett rushed to Gilmore’s side, sending Lockheed fluttering away. _“What has occurred? Is it your back?”_

_“No, just...I’m afraid I overexerted myself.”_

_“You should not do this, Gilt D’amour,”_ Jarett told him, gently taking Gilmore’s arm and placing it over his shoulders so he could lift Gilmore back to his feet. _“Just now you are very important. We need you unstrained.”_

 _“It’s my fault,”_ Gilmore said. _“I thought I could do it.”_ He sighed when Jarett lowered him onto the couch. _“Clearly I was wrong.”_

_“But where is your healer?”_

_“Not sure,”_ Gilmore said, suddenly out of breath. 

Jarett gave him a once-over. _“I would go to the temple to bring another, but I’m not sure leaving you would be safe.”_

 _“I’ll be fine,”_ Gilmore assured him. _“Just...some coffee would be nice.”_

 _“Of course.”_ Jarett left for the kitchen but returned a few seconds later. 

“Look who I found,” he announced in Common, shoving the young cleric Oren forward. “Someone fell asleep.” 

“I’m so sorry, Sir!” the boy said, looking tearful. 

“It’s fine,” Gilmore assured him. “Believe me, if I could, I would be sleeping now, too.” 

He began to feel better after a few heals, and was able to sit upright on his own by the time Jarett returned with coffee and scones. “Oh, I love those!” Gilmore declared, making sure Oren got some before the boy went back to his post. _“So,”_ Gilmore said, looking up from his plate at Jarett, who’d refused to take any pastries for himself. _“What news?”_

 _“Ah!”_ Jarett sat forward in his chair with a devilish smile. _“The unworthy dog has asked me to take care of you in his absence.”_

 _“Has he really?”_ Gilmore feigned disinterest.

 _“He has,”_ Jarett said, joining Gilmore on the couch. _“And I intend to. Fully and completely.”_

Gilmore chuckled. _“You make it sound so_ _risqué_ _, J’arett.”_

Jarett leaned toward him. _“We still have not agreed how I will thank you for the crossbow, my lord.”_

Gilmore couldn’t help laughing, and he hoped it didn’t hurt Jarett’s feelings if he was actually being serious. _“You know, there’s really no need to make it seem more sexual than it is.”_

After a split second of looking taken aback, Jarett quickly recovered. _“It will be as sexual as you wish it to be, my lord.”_ His voice was a promising growl. 

Gilmore reached out and took Jarett’s hand. _“Then let it be less sexual than more,”_ he said with a smile. _“I’m far too tired these days to make it worth your while, and you deserve a better effort than that.”_

Jarett bowed his head. _“I am honored that you would even consider it, my lord.”_

Gilmore smiled gently. _“I think it’s a more selfish consideration than honorable.”_ He reached out to brush a stray curl from Jarett’s forehead. _“And one that could cause you a great deal of harm.”_

 _“It would be worth it,”_ Jarett said, leaning closer. 

_“I think perhaps you speak too soon,”_ Gilmore murmured. But he had little time to say anything else, for Jarett’s lips were quickly on his. _“Aren’t you supposed to be on guard duty?”_ Gilmore asked, when Jarett let him up for air. 

_“The privileges of command,”_ Jarett said, kissing Gilmore’s jaw just under the line of his beard. _“Remember?”_

 _“I’m worried for you, J’arett,”_ Gilmore said, sliding fingers into Jarett’s hair. 

_“You need not worry about me, my lord,”_ Jarett said, turning his face to kiss the fingers of Gilmore’s free hand. 

_“Alright,”_ Gilmore said. But he wondered…

They continued their overly-affectionate conversation for the better part of an hour before Gilmore was saved when, in spite of what he’d said earlier, Jarett had to return to the barracks to sort out guard watches. Gilmore was both disappointed and relieved, but he knew this was far from over.

*

  
  


That night, Jarett came by again, claiming to want a few hours rest in his own quarters, far from the barracks. He asked Gilmore to accompany him upstairs so that they could speak privately. But once the bedroom door was closed, he was on Gilmore like a bear on honey. _“J’arett, what are you doing?”_ Gilmore asked, nevertheless pleased by Jarett’s enthusiasm. 

_“Taking care of you,”_ Jarett said, sweeping Gilmore off his feet to carry him to the bed. 

_“There’s really no need,”_ Gilmore assured him, watching Jarett to see just what he would do. Did he even have a plan? Gilmore seriously doubted he knew what he was doing. 

Jarett proved him wrong by stripping down to his long underwear again. No curve was hidden, and his arousal grew as Gilmore watched. _“I admit I do not know what you need,”_ Jarett said. _“But I have some educated guesses.”_ He pushed the waistband down, his erection springing free. 

_“Oh my,”_ Gilmore blinked. _“Are you trying to hypnotize me, general?”_

 _“Hypnotize?”_ Jarett asked, his stiff cock bobbing back and forth as he wiggled his hips. _“Is that what you wish?”_

Gilmore chuckled. _“No. But I’m not objecting to the view.”_

_“Well then.”_ Jarett turned his back to Gilmore and slowly bent down to push the fabric from his muscular thighs, giving Gilmore a glorious view of his buttocks. And he was very tempted to reach out and grab one...but Gilmore restrained himself. He was more interested to see what Jarett was planning to do. 

When Jarett turned back around, the purple tip of his cock was just beginning to emerge from his foreskin. _“Now I suppose it’s time to get some sleep,”_ Jarett announced, climbing into bed to lie down next to Gilmore. On his side, facing Gilmore, Jarett stared a challenge into his eyes. 

_“If sleep is what you wish,”_ Gilmore said, _“may I recommend closing your eyes? It tends to work better that way.”_

 _“Thank you for the recommendation,”_ Jarett said, keeping his eyes open. He reached up to gently trace the length of Gilmore’s goatee with the tip of his index finger. It stopped beneath Gilmore’s chin, and Jarett leaned forward to kiss him. 

_“I don’t understand you, J’arett,”_ Gilmore said between kisses. _“I felt certain you only liked women.”_

 _“I let this be my guide,”_ Jarett said, gripping his hard cock to indicate what “this” was. _“It stiffens for you as much as it does for a beautiful woman.”_ Letting go, he began kissing Gilmore’s neck. 

_“Well, I suppose that’s flattering,”_ Gilmore said. _“Though I don’t recall doing anything particularly arousing.”_ Feeling Jarett’s hot breath on his throat, Gilmore’s hands slid over Jarett’s hips to explore the gluteus expanse beyond. 

Jarett groaned, pressing his body against Gilmore’s. _“Even now, my lord?”_

 _“Alright, now I’m being a bit bad,”_ Gilmore admitted. 

_“I would not soil the fabric of your garments,”_ Jarett said, breathless, which was a more suave way of asking Gilmore to remove his robes than Vax had ever used. 

_“Are you sure about this, J’arett?”_ Gilmore asked. 

_“Very, very sure,”_ he panted. 

Gilmore unfastened his robes and pushed them aside, immediately feeling the moist tip of Jarett’s desire pressing against the curve of his belly. _“You really are wound up tonight, aren’t you?”_ Gilmore observed, running his fingers through Jarett’s hair again. 

_“My lord,”_ Jarett said. _“Tell me what I should do. I fear I will not last long like this.”_

 _“Please yourself, J’arett,”_ Gilmore said, brushing lips against his stubbled cheek. _“I’m enjoying everything so far.”_

When Jarett kissed him again, he began to frot against Gilmore, overcome. Gilmore took him in hand, stroking the soft skin of his sack and petting Jarett’s inner thighs as he jerked him off. He could feel Jarett’s measured breathing as he tried to last, but when Gilmore reached back and traced a fingertip around his rim, Jarett cried out, hot semen splashing across Gilmore’s skin. Jarett shivered against Gilmore, arms wrapped tightly around him.

 _“Was that too much?”_ Gilmore asked softly. 

_“No,”_ Jarett panted. _“Clearly.”_ Gilmore kissed him again, luxuriating in the feel of his soft lips, teasing Jarett’s tongue with his own. 

_“So,”_ Jarett asked. _“What happens now?”_

Gilmore smiled against Jarett’s glowing mahogany skin, pillowing his head on Jarett’s strong shoulder. _“Now I’m going to go to the bathroom to clean up before I head back downstairs. And then it’s all yours. I hope you really do stay and take some rest,”_ Gilmore told him. 

_“What, alone?”_ Jarett tugged him back when Gilmore tried to slide away. 

Gilmore smiled again. _“If I stay, I’ll fall asleep.”_

Jarett found his lips and kissed Gilmore again, urgently. _“I’ll make sure you don’t fall asleep.”_

Gilmore chuckled. _“This will do for tonight, J’arett. I’ll be downstairs if you want company.”_

 _“Very well,”_ Jarett said, sounding disappointed. Gilmore gave him one last kiss, slowly running his hands down Jarett’s body before letting go and sliding away. _“You are not a nice man,”_ Jarett told him, rolling over onto his stomach with disappointment. 

_“I never said I was,”_ Gilmore smiled. 

After he’d washed up, Jarett joined Gilmore and Danika downstairs. He sat next to Gilmore on the couch by the fire, close enough that it was really snuggling, but without holding or touching one another apart from legs and arms pressed together where they sat. Gilmore read a history of the arcane he’d found in the castle library, and Jarett read an anthology of poetry, stopping to read one aloud every now and then, when he found one he thought Gilmore might like. 

_“Do you know what might help you pass the time on these long nights?”_ Jarett asked him after an hour or two of reading.

 _My face between those muscular thighs?_ Gilmore wanted to ask, but he knew it would get him in more trouble than he could handle in his current state. So instead, he asked, _“What’s that?”_

Jarett slid one of his sand brown palms against Gilmore’s, his other hand slowly tracing the mage’s long fingers. _“I could teach you to weave. It’s very relaxing, but requires a meditative concentration as well.”_

That actually sounded...beautiful. Gilmore had done it himself for a time, centuries ago, but techniques and technology had likely changed since then. _“I think I’d like that, weaver’s son,”_ Gilmore purred. It was hard to remain aloof when Jarett had his arms around Gilmore from behind like this.

 _“As my prince wishes,”_ Jarett breathed, kissing the shell of his ear.

 _“Stop that,”_ Gilmore said, annoyed by the reminder of his status regardless of the fact the title was inaccurate.

 _“I humbly beg your forgiveness,”_ Jarett said, in a tone that caused a stirring in Gilmore’s loins. 

_“Stop that,”_ Gilmore told him again. _“You do not have to beg anything of me.”_

 _“But what if I want to?”_ Jarett growled. 

_“Then.”_ Gilmore swallowed, trying to get his libido under control. _“That is a matter we can discuss later.”_

_“Praise thy name.”_

_“Stop. I mean it.”_ Gilmore was honestly lucky Danika was here with them, otherwise Jarett would have certainly gotten to him.

Eventually Jarett did go up to sleep, but not before he’d pulled Gilmore into the hall to kiss him goodnight. _“I don’t think moving to another room constitutes discretion,”_ Gilmore told him. 

_“I would do this publicly if it would not besmirch your reputation,”_ Jarett said, kissing Gilmore’s hand. 

_“_ ** _My_ ** _reputation?”_ Gilmore said. _“You are the respectable one of the two of us.”_

 _“I disagree,”_ Jarett said. _“But there is also ‘Assum’ to look out for.”_

 _“Good point,”_ Gilmore said. He’d nearly forgotten about Raishan. “ _What has he been up to lately?”_ Gilmore asked. _“I haven’t seen him since yesterday.”_

 _“He has been snooping around the castle,”_ Jarett said. _“But he’s had access to no confidential information that I can tell.”_

 _“I suppose that’s good,”_ Gilmore said, turning his head to give Jarett’s lips a better angle on his throat. _“He wouldn’t happen to have wandered down below the castle to the ziggurat, would he?”_

 _“Most certainly,”_ Jarett said, tugging aside Gilmore’s collar to kiss his clavicle. 

_“Alright, alright, that’s enough,”_ Gilmore said, taking a step back. _“It doesn’t seem to me you’re getting ready to sleep.”_

Jarett chuckled. _“You have found me out, my lord.”_

 _“Come here.”_ Gilmore kissed him firmly on the lips, taking his time before letting go of Jarett. _“Now go. I’ll see you in the morning.”_

Jarett passed a hand over his groin, adjusting himself. _“As you say, my lord.”_ He offered a short bow. _“Good night.”_

_“Good night, J’arett.”_ Gilmore watched Jarett start up the stairs and headed to the kitchen for tea. But he only made it halfway there before Jarett caught him and spun Gilmore around for one last kiss. _“_ ** _Sleep_** _, J’arett,”_ Gilmore told him firmly, feeling a little dizzy from that one. 

_“Of course.”_ Jarett bowed again, and really left this time. 

Gilmore smoothed his braids, which would need redoing soon. It felt good to be desired. But had he done the right thing? He owed it to Jarett to keep him safe. Even now, Vax’ildan might be in Ank’Harel, under the Soul’s watchful eye. Hopefully he would be alright. Hopefully Vox Machina would not get into too much trouble... 


End file.
